Pregnancy and Before

Intention

Key Messages
Overall
Trends Over Time
By Maternal Age
By Parity (Number of Previous Births)
Further Reading

Key Messages

In 2022, approximately four-fifths of pregnant Simcoe Muskoka residents indicated they plan to feed their baby with ‘exclusive breast milk’, higher than in Ontario. An additional 11.1% plan to ‘combination feed’, which is lower than Ontario. Few pregnant individuals in Simcoe Muskoka intend to provide no breast milk to their babies, but this is higher than Ontario.
The intention to feed ‘exclusive breast milk’ has decreased among pregnant individuals in Simcoe Muskoka from 2016 to 2022, which is similar to Ontario. The percentage of pregnant individuals who intend to ‘combination feed’ their baby has increased from 2016 to 2022 in Simcoe Muskoka and Ontario.
Expectant parents 15–24 years are less likely to report that they intend to feed their baby ‘any breast milk’ or ‘exclusive breast milk’ compared to those in older age groups (aged 25-34 years or 35-49 years).
The intention to feed breast milk decreases as the number of previous births increases.

Overall

Most expectant parents plan to feed their baby with ‘exclusive breast milk’. In 2022, 81.3% (80.3%, 82.3%) of pregnant Simcoe Muskoka residents intend to exclusively feed breast milk, which is significantly higher than the percentage in Ontario (74.7% (74.4%, 74.9%)). An additional 11.1% (10.3%, 12.0%) intend to ‘combination feed’ (breastmilk and a breastmilk substitute, including formula or other substitute, which is significantly lower than in Ontario (19.6% (19.4%, 19.8%)). Combining these groups together results in 92.4% (91.3%, 93.1%) of expectant parents in Simcoe Muskoka who plan to feed ‘any breast milk’ to their baby, which is significantly lower than Ontario (94.3% (94.2%, 94.4%)). Few pregnant individuals in Simcoe Muskoka (6.5% (5.8%, 7.2%)) intend to provide no breast milk, but this is higher than in Ontario (4.9% (4.8%, 5.0%)).

BFIntention_SMOnt

Trends Over Time (2016-2022)

The percentage of pregnant individuals in Simcoe Muskoka who intend to feed their baby with ‘any breast milk’ has remained stable from 2016 to 2022, while in Ontario, the percentage increased from 2016 to 2022.

The percentage of pregnant individuals who intend to ‘exclusively feed breast milk’ to their baby in Simcoe Muskoka has decreased over time, similar to Ontario, decreasing from 88.0% (87.1%, 88.9%) in 2016 to 81.3% (80.3%, 82.3% in 2022 and from 82.9% (82.7%, 83.1%) to 74.7% (74.4%, 74.9%) in Ontario. In addition, the intention to ‘exclusively feed breast milk’ remained stable from 2016 to 2018 before decreasing in 2019 and 2020 and stabilizing again from 2020 to 2022 in Simcoe Muskoka. The decrease in exclusive breastfeeding intention may be attributed, at least in part, to changes in health service programming and delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The percentage of pregnant individuals who intend to ‘combination feed’ has increased over time from 2016 to 2022 in Simcoe Muskoka and Ontario, nearly tripling in Simcoe Muskoka, from 4.3% (3.8%, 4.9%v) in 2016 to 11.1% (10.3%, 12.0%) in 2022 and nearly doubling in Ontario, from 10.7% (10.6%, 10.9%) in 2015 to 19.6% (19.4%, 19.8%) in 2022.

BFIntention_SMOnt_Trend

By Maternal Age

Expectant parents 15–24 years are significantly less likely to report that they intend to feed their baby ‘any breastmilk’ (86.1% (82.2%, 89,5%)) compared to those in older age groups 25 to 34 years (92.9% (92.0%, 93.7%)) and 35-49 years (93.4% (91.9%, 94.7%)). Significantly fewer younger parents, aged 15 to 24 years, report they intend to’ exclusively feed breast milk’ to their baby (75.7% (71.1%, 80.0%) compared to older parents aged 25 to 34 years (82.3% (81.1%, 83.5%)) and 35 to 49 years (80.1% (77.9%, 82.2%)).

BFIntention_MatAge

By Parity (Number of Previous Births)

The intention to provide breast milk decreases as the number of previous births increases. Ninety-five percent (94.8% (93.8%, 95.7%)) of pregnant individuals with no previous births (nulliparous) intend to provide ‘any breast milk’. This is significantly higher than individuals who had given birth one or more times previously (1 previous birth: 91.6% (90.3%, 92.8%); 2 previous births: 89.1% (86.6%, 91.3%); 3 or more previous births: 87.8% (83.9%, 91.1%). Despite their lower intention rates, second time parents have higher ‘exclusive breast milk’ initiation rates in 2022 and higher exclusive duration rates in 2019 compared to first time parents. This may be because infant feeding intention is informed by the experience with the previous baby, and therefore intention is a more accurate predictor of feeding type with second babies.

BFIntention_Parity